World-renowned Architects Select Winners of Downtown Detroit Hudson’s Site Competition

DETROIT, June 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Rock Ventures LLC and Bedrock Real Estate Services today announced the winners of Opportunity Detroit's international design competition which solicited ideas for a potential signature project on the former Hudson's Department Store site in downtown Detroit. The three winning design ideas came from Rome, Italy; Kalamazoo, Michigan; and Southfield, Michigan.  

The nine-week competition was a free, open call for architects, designers, planners, artists, and community members to present ideas for innovative, creative, and inspired designs for the potential future use of one of the city's most iconic sites. The competition attracted nearly 200 entries from architectural and design firms, as well as individuals, from 23 states and 22 countries.

Entrants were asked to create compelling visions for a new urban development on the vacant 92,421 square-foot site, bordered by Woodward Avenue, Gratiot Avenue, Grand River Avenue and Library Street in the heart of downtown Detroit. 

From residential to retail, to concert venues and offices, the entries ran the gamut from a single story structure to a 1,000-foot high skyscraper, as entrants let their imaginations run wild. Some of the submissions pay homage to the original Hudson's Department Store by including its likeness in their design; one submission literally turned the store upside down, another included a completely green, sustainable and energy efficient building, and yet another included all made-in-Michigan materials.

"The Hudson's Department Store was once the crown jewel of downtown Detroit, and these interesting designs are displaying the possibilities of what can certainly once again grace the skyline of Detroit," said Dan Gilbert, Chairman of Rock Ventures. "By tapping into the talents of some of the most creative individuals from around the globe, we have the opportunity to create a signature project that captures the passion, grit and revival of our great American city."

Reed Kroloff, who led the competition to design the "High Line" in New York CityCranbrook Academy of Art and Art Museum near Detroit, served as the competition's advisor.

"The Hudson's site represents a microcosm of Detroit's 20^th century muscle concentrated in and around one significant site," said Kroloff.

"Detroit was and still is ground-zero for innovation in so many ways. For example, Hudson's had one of the earliest Thanksgiving Day Parades, and its designers created stunning store windows that were among countless reasons Woodward Avenue was the place to shop and do business in Detroit."

According to Kroloff, the competition sought proposals that:

• Demonstrated original architecture and design concepts
• Presented an innovative vision for the site
• Incorporated space for significant retail activity at ground level
• Provided a creative response to the site's urban context – particularly as a signature project in downtown Detroit

Juried Competition Winners

A panel of five distinguished architects and urban planning experts from across the country judged the entries. The "Redesigning Detroit" competition awarded $15,000 for first place, $5,000 for second place and $2,500 for third place.

• First Place: "MINICITY Detroit,"Davide Marchetti and Erin Pellegrino; Rome, Italy incorporates an urban path to an elevated platform and includes sculptural high-rise elements and low-rise components for a combined use of commercial, residential and retail space in upper and lower plazas. Other uses include a market space and cinemas. The design incorporates red brick found in much of the city's historic architecture while complementing nearby buildings.
• Second Place: "Detroit Entrepreneurial Center (DEC),"Efrain Velez, Juan Nunez, Marko Kanceljak; Kalamazoo, Michigan is an eco-friendly mixed use development designed to promote a dynamic exchange among people and inspire innovation. It features a business incubator, marketplace, hotel and several housing options along with climate controlled common areas. The building honors Detroit's industrial past and resembles the silhouette of past factories and "the material qualities of a rusted steel facade."
• Third Place: "Highwave Detroit,"Team Rossetti/Metrogramma; Southfield (soon to be Detroit), Michigan proposes a building honoring the site's significance for Detroit's identity with a strong visual impact. Its triangular shape suggests a sail on a boat. Other materials include steel, concrete and glass, and a greener side featuring terraces with water views and reflecting pools at ground level. Functions include entertainment and event space, residential, retail and office space.  

Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order by project title)

• "Art Scape Detroit"Bob Varga, Darin Daguanno, Dizi Shi, Rachel Echtinaw, Ryan Dashkevicz, Michael Johnson-Smith Group Architecture; Detroit, Michigan  
• "(de)Centralized Detroit"Kevin Sheppard, Laura Vincent, Scarlett Esion; Kingston, New York
• <b>"Detroit Cultural Center"Brian Kim; Cincinnati, Ohio
• "Detroit Flyover,"Chai Chen; New York, New York
• "Detroit Rising, on the foundation of the past the future rises," Joshua Seyfried, David Witham; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• "Detroit School for Entrepreneurship"Tod Stevens, Michael Hopkins, Vittorio Lovato, DSA Architects; Berkley, Michigan
• "Hudson Block" Team Rossetti-Jonathan Disbrow, Ramon Corpuz, Dima Daimi, Pierre Roberson, David Smoes;  Southfield (soon to be Detroit), Michigan
• "Incubator Matrix"Jean Kim, Jaewon Chang, Dongil Kim, Ju-Hyun Kim, Jaeman Kim, Youngji Kim, Minbum Koo, Kooin Kwon, Hangman Zo; New York, New York
• "The Grand Opening"Chung Whan Park, Terry Sung Park, Jeong Jun Song, Hyun Tek Yoon, Kyung Jae Yu; New York, New York
• "The Hudson Nexus, The Story of a Travelling Mall"Lee Ajayi, Daniel Azuero, Egor Fufachev, Kane Manthey Architects; Geneva, Switzerland

Community Vote Winners

After the official judging ended on June 7, the public was invited to view and vote on the submissions as part of a special exhibit and community open house Saturday and Sunday June 8-9. The three submissions earning the most public votes won cash prizes of $2,500, $1,000 and $500 respectively for first, second and third places.

• First Place:"Hudson's Quarter," Emilie M. Rottman and James G. Ramil; Washington DC, is a contemporary site for urban living designed to be a new "headquarters" for Detroit's renaissance. It honors the original Hudson's site and Detroit's historical surroundings, and the building's exterior includes an image of the original department store facade. Uses include retail, a gym, apartments and condos, a performance space and outdoor arts and a music alley.
• Second Place: "Exten(D)," Extending Life in the D, Beyond the 9 to 5, Smith Group JJR-Diana Khadr, Tengteng Wang, Alexa Bush, Kyle Johnson, Jessie McHugh; Detroit, Michigan, features amenities to attract and retain visitors and commuters in the urban core to show them what Detroit has to offer after hours. It includes residential space, offices, a grocery store, an M-1 RAIL stop, restaurants, an art gallery and green space.
• Third Place: "Blue Fountain Tower," Salvador Parra Espinosa and Selene Serna Contreras, De San Bernadino; Toluca, Mexico, replaces 50 percent of the site's current footprint with gardens that would be accessible at sidewalk level. It features retail, art galleries, offices, apartments, lofts, a school, gardens and terraces. Its designers call it an "icon for Detroit," and its futuristic design features outdoor terraces designed for physical activity on 10 stories of the building.

All submissions can be viewed on an online gallery at http://hudsons.opportunitydetroit.com/entry-all/

About Rock Ventures LLC
Rock Ventures LLC is an umbrella entity managing a diverse portfolio of companies, investments and real estate. Rock Ventures' flagship company is Quicken Loans, the nation's largest online home lender and third largest overall residential mortgage lender.

About Bedrock Real Estate Services LLC
Detroit-based Bedrock Real Estate Services LLC is a full service real estate firm specializing in purchasing, leasing, financing, developing and managing of commercial space. For more information, visit www.bedrockmgt.com. It is part of the Rock Ventures family of companies.

About Opportunity Detroit
Opportunity Detroit is a campaign that promotes downtown Detroit as a great place to live, work and play. The campaign launched last fall as a partnership with Quicken Loans, Rock Ventures, the Detroit Regional Chamber (of Commerce), and dozens of non-profit, civic and business organizations in the city. It started with a television commercial and web site, and it continues to evolve as a campaign to tell Detroit's story as an emerging high-tech hub, and the city's ongoing transformation from a muscle economy of the past to the brain economy of the present and future.  

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Rock Ventures' Opportunity Detroit Chronology and Tenant List
The following is an Opportunity Detroit timeline followed by a listing of the more than 85 companies that in the past 33 months have moved to downtown Detroit in a number of Rock Ventures-owned buildings.

Opportunity Detroit Timeline
January 2007:Dan Gilbert founds Bizdom, a non-profit entrepreneurship accelerator for budding web and tech-based startups in Detroit.

January 2009: Gilbert and other business leaders invest in M-1 RAIL, a 6.6-mile light-rail system that will link key neighborhoods to Detroit's riverfront, the business district, and educational, cultural, entertainment and medical institutions along Woodward Avenue.

July 2009: Quicken Loans announces it will relocate its headquarters to the Compuware Building in downtown Detroit in 2010.

August 2010: Quicken Loans and five of its sister companies move 1,700 team members into the Compuware building in downtown Detroit.

November 2010: Gilbert, together with entrepreneurs Josh Linkner and Brian Hermelin, launch Detroit Venture Partners, a Detroit-based venture capital firm that invests in seed and early-stage technology companies to be located in the city.

January 2011:Rock Ventures, the umbrella entity formed to provide operational coordination, guidance and integration of Gilbert's portfolio of companies, investments and real estate, purchases Detroit's historical M@dison Theatre Building and begins transforming it into a collaborative tech hub to encourage partnership among local entrepreneurs.

April 2011:Rock Ventures acquires the 13-story Chase Tower located in Detroit's downtown central business district and immediately begins renovation to reflect Quicken Loans' culture.

April 2011:Rock Ventures buys Two Detroit Center, a 1,095-space parking garage located in the central business district.

May 2011:Skidmore Studio, a graphic design firm located in a nearby suburb, announces it will become the anchor tenant in the M@dison Building.

June 2011: Quicken Loans hires 200 interns to work in its downtown Detroit office to expose students to the city and help end Detroit's "brain drain."

July 2011: Earvin "Magic" Johnson joins Detroit Venture Partners to help fund start-up tech companies.

July 2011: Quicken Loans and four other downtown Detroit companies unveil the "Live Downtown" program, which offers financial incentives to team members who live in the city.

July 2011: Quicken Loans sponsors the debut of Somerset Collection's CityLoft, a pop-up shop open the last weekend of each month in downtown Detroit with mini-versions of upscale stores, to bring retail back to downtown Detroit.

August 2011:Rock Ventures purchases Detroit'sFirst National Building to house more team members as well as other businesses.

August 2011:Rock Ventures acquires its fourth building, the 101-year-old Dime Building located in downtown Detroit, along with the Financial District Garage, an adjacent 983-space parking structure.

August 2011:Rock Ventures purchases the M@dison Parking Lot on Broadway, adjacent to the M@dison Building.

September 2011: Quicken Loans hosts a job fair to fill 500 positions in Detroit within the Family of Companies; 2,500 people line up around the building to apply.

October 2011: An additional 2,000 Quicken Loans team members move into the newly renovated Chase Tower.

December 2011:Rock Ventures completes the acquisition of three additional properties in Downtown Detroit – the historic Wright-Kay brownstone, the Lane Bryant Building and the Arts League of Michigan Building.

January 2012:Rock Ventures adds two more buildings to its real estate portfolio – the historic Federal Reserve Building and 1550 Woodward Avenue, a one-story building to be utilized for retail or commercial use.

February 2012: To encourage Detroit's "brain gain," the Quicken Loans Family of Companies announces it will hire 600 paid interns – 500 to work in Detroit to discover all the great things the city has to offer.

April 2012: The Quicken Loans Family of Companies begins a recruiting campaign to hire more than 1,400 team members, and launches Valley to Detroit, a campaign aimed to bring laid-off Yahoo technology professionals to Detroit from Silicon Valley.

April 2012:Rock Ventures and Chrysler hold a press conference to announce that Chrysler will lease the top two floors of Rock Ventures' Dime Building and rename the building Chrysler House.

June 2012: Quicken Loans partners with other Detroit businesses to create "IT in the D," a program to give local university students real-world experience to prepare them for tech jobs in Detroit.

July 2012: Title Source, the largest independent provider of title insurance, property valuations and settlement services in the nation, begins move of 1,500 team members to downtown Detroit'sFirst National Building.

October 2012: Rock Connections, a strategic marketing company that provides experienced communications specialists, robust analytics, and targeted selling strategies, moves 140 team members into the Chase Tower Building in downtown Detroit's growing tech hub.

October 2012:Rock Ventures and Quicken Loans launch Opportunity Detroit with a national commercial narrated by Kid Rock on the Fox television network during the fourth game of the World Series.

November 2012: Rock Ventures breaks ground on 33,000-square-foot specialty retail development with 10-story parking garage in downtown Detroit.

December 2012:Rock Ventures purchases One Woodward, a 26-story, 333,000- square-foot building located in Detroit'sCentral Business District.

December 2012: Metro-West Appraisal, the nation's largest independent residential real estate appraisal company, announces it will move its national headquarters to downtown Detroit's Chrysler House in March 2013.

December 2012:Rock Ventures adds five buildings to its real estate portfolio: 1201 Woodward (Kresge Building), 1217 Woodward, 1412 Woodward, 1301 Broadway (Cary Building Lofts) and 1521 Broadway (Small Plates Building) for a total of 120,000 square feet of space.

January 2013: Rock Gaming, Rock Ventures'Detroit-based gaming partnership announced one of its affiliated companies, Athens Acquisition LLC, has entered into an agreement to acquire a majority interest in Greektown Superholdings Inc., owner of the Greektown Casino-Hotel located in downtown Detroit

February 2013: The Roasting Plant, a unique and innovative coffee shop, opens in the Rock Ventures-owned First National Building. The Detroit location is Roasting Plant's first shop outside of New York City.

March 2013:Rock Ventures acquires the 23-story 1001 Woodward office tower, located in the heart of Detroit's emerging tech district. The building was built in 1965 for the First Federal Savings and Loan of Detroit and features 275,000 square feet of Class-A office space.

March 2013:Rock Ventures, The Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP), and the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. (DEGC) announce an extraordinary placemaking plan for Detroit's urban core. As part of the plan, Rock Ventures launches Opportunity Detroit's international design competition for a new signature project that will sit on the historic Hudson's Department Store site. 

March 2013:Rock Ventures acquires the historic 12-story Albert Kahn-designed Vinton Building. Built in 1917, the 44,000 square foot building was added to the Michigan Register of Historic Places in 1982 and the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

March 2013:Rock Ventures signs master lease agreements with the Schostak Brothers and Farbman Group to manage more than 60,000 square feet of first floor retail along the Woodward Corridor in downtown Detroit. The properties include 12 storefronts along the 1200 and 1400 blocks of Woodward Avenue.

March 2013: Rock Ventures announced popular grocer Papa Joe's Gourmet Market and Catering will occupy 15,000 square feet of the First National Building, steps from Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit.

April 2013:Rock Gaming affiliate company acquires a majority interest in downtown Detroit'sGreektown Casino-Hotel with vision to better connect to the Woodward corridor.

May 2013:Rock Ventures announced ROSSETTI, an international architectural planning and design firm will move its headquarters to the historic Federal Reserve Building, located in the heart of Detroit's rapidly expanding business district at Fort and Shelby Streets. 

June 2013:Rock Ventures acquired the 1238 Randolph Building in the Historic Greektown neighborhood. The former Serman's building offers a unique retail opportunity with store frontage that wraps around the corner.

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Businesses located to downtown Detroit by Rock Ventures since August 2010

More than 85 companies have located in Rock Ventures-owned buildings in downtown Detroit over the past 34 months:

M@dison Building

-- 50,000 square feet
-- 100 percent occupied

• Twitter: A real-time information network that connects people to the latest stories, ideas, opinions and news
• Skidmore Studio: A leading creative design firm occupying 9,780 square feet of space
• Detroit Venture Partners (DVP): A venture capital firm specializing in funding early stage technology businesses
• Detroit Labs: A leader in the development of Android, iOS and web-based applications
• UpTo: A new social platform focused on the future tense, allowing users to easily share calendar events
• Stik.com: A website that brings the word-of-mouth referral process online
• Chez Zara: A full-service espresso bar that specializes in exceptional espresso drinks and organic teas
• Bizdom: A non-profit entrepreneurship accelerator for budding web and tech-based startups in Detroit and Cleveland (Bizdom Detroit was previously housed in Wayne State University'sTech Town)
• Are You a Human: The answer to frustrating CAPTCHA entries, Are You a Human uses fun games to verify the authenticity of people completing online forms
• Doodle Home: A virtual studio for interior designers to run their business more efficiently
• Uber: Provides on-demand luxury car service through a smartphone app
• TextsFromLastNight (Detroit office): An accidental startup born out of a viral sensation, now one of the leading user-generated content sites for 20-somethings
• Ludlow Ventures: An angel and seed-stage venture capital firm investing in web and digital technologies
• Rockbot: A social jukebox app that lets you be the DJ at your favorite bars, restaurants, gyms, and stores
• LevelEleven: Developed SalesContestBuilder, a hybrid of a Facebook, fantasy football, and online gaming, to create goal-based competitions
• Exxodus Pictures: A production company whose first feature film, Jinn, is now in post-production
• Cup of Zup: Uniquely amusing pop-culture e-newsletter and website
• Quikly: Short-term deals exclusively for college students
• Wedit: A fun, easy, and affordable way to capture, edit, and share wedding memories through the use of HD Flip cameras
• Thrillist Detroit: Free weekly email that finds the best of what's new in your neighborhood and on the web
• Facility Matrix Group (FMG): The area's pre-eminent provider of office furniture
• Apigee: Enables businesses and developers to deliver well-designed, scalable APIs and apps, drive developer adoption, and extract business value from their API ecosystem
• Dandelion Detroit: A venture philanthropy consultancy and civic innovation lab
• 1^st & Goal Recruiting: Provides advanced statistical analytics and performance prediction for college football recruiting
• Rapt.fm: A website that allows you to have real-time rap battles around the world
• Backstitch: Provides a clean and consistent experience for managing your personal web
• Whip Hand Cosmetics: Cosmetic company that celebrates today's modern women while being manufactured in Detroit, Michigan
• Brys & Edgewood: A company that produces DIY fondant kits and cupcake kits that are easy enough for anyone to make at home
• Chalkfly: An office and school supply company that is rooted in giving back to teachers across the nation while providing customers with quality office supplies, innovative technology, and exceptional service
• SKUServe: Cloud-based international foreign language translation and interpreters marketplace
• GuidesMob: A mobile app company that creates college guides for iPhones and Androids
• TubeMogul: The leader in programmatic brand marketing
• Grand Circus: A work-force development company providing world-class tech and entrepreneurship training in a co-working space  
• Innovid: Visionary marketers with the tools to create, deliver, and measure video campaigns, in any format, on any screen, publisher, or ad network
• Silverpop: Adigital marketing technology provider that unifies marketing automation, email, mobile, and social

Chase Tower

-- 524,000 square feet
-- 100 percent occupied

• Quicken Loans: The nation's largest online mortgage lender
• In-House Realty: A real estate services company matching clients with pre-screened real estate agents in their local community across the country

First National Building

-- 800,000 square feet
-- 95 percent occupied

• Title Source: The largest independent provider of title insurance, property valuations and settlement services in the nation
• Papa Joes Gourmet Market & Catering: A gourmet market that will include delivery and table service as well as a full liquor license (scheduled to open the end of 2013)
• Aerotek: A leading staffing agency that matches qualified candidates with top companies worldwide
• Roasting Plant:New York-based coffee company with unique Javabot roasting technology
• Salon Detroit: A hair and nail salon (scheduled to open in Summer 2013)
• Campus Commandos: An advertising agency helping brands market their products and services to college students

Chrysler House

-- Former Dime Building
-- 330,000 square feet
-- 98 percent occupied

• Chrysler Group LLC: Automotive company that produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Mopar, SRT and Fiat vehicles and products
• Quicken Loans: The nation's largest online mortgage lender
• The Professional Group: A full-service janitorial and building services company
• Rock Connections: A strategic marketing company that provides experienced communications specialists, robust analytics, and targeted selling strategies
• Metro-West Appraisal: The nation's largest independent residential real estate appraisal company
• Just Baked: Specialty cupcake shop and bakery
• Rehmann: A company offering accounting, tax planning and financial consulting services
• Allied Printing Company: Provides printing, information management, and warehouse & fulfillment services
• Hubbard Snitchler & Parzianello PLC: Provides world-class legal service
• Professional Movers.com: Moving company that specializes in providing local, long distance, and international relocation services for people and businesses
• Elite Fire Safety: A one-stop-shop for fire safety needs
• EverStaff: Recruits the most skilled and qualified professionals for organizations of all sizes
• FNC Holding Company: A real estate information technology company ensuring compliance and streamlines workflow for major mortgage leaders, servicers and community and regional banks
• GSI: A company specializing in security, network and system integration
• Metro Consulting: A full-service civil engineering and land surveying consultancy
• Reliance One: A full-service staffing firm
• SCI Marketview: A lead management company for automotive dealers
• Corby Energy: Providing construction, engineering and support services to utilities and related businesses
• Core Merchant: Easy and convenient credit payment solutions for businesses
• Young and Sons, Drying and Restoration Specialists: A full-service 24-hour drying and restoration service
• RSIG Security-Midwest, Inc. and Actron Integrated Security (AIS) Systems:  The highest quality security solution for its partners
• Qstride, Inc.: A leading analytics solutions provider that helps companies turn data into business intelligence
• Diamond Recovery Property Restoration: A full-service emergency restoration company
• P.I.C. Maintenance, Inc.: Specializing in commercial facility maintenance and janitorial services
• Harmony Point CTC: IT workforce development company trains students for high skill, high demand, high wage technology jobs
• Lindemann Miller Siderius LLP: A law firm specializing in the representation of insurers and reinsurers in coverage disputes
• RAM Construction: The oldest and most experienced waterproofing and restoration contractor in the United States
• Communication Associates: Providing marketing and creative services
• Michigan Historic Preservation Network: the statewide preservation organization dedicated to saving Michigan's diverse historic places
• Just Topped: Specialty ice cream shop (scheduled to open in June 2013)

One Woodward

-- 333,000 square feet
-- 95 percent occupied

• Quicken Loans:</b> The nation's largest online mortgage lender